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Catching Up

Well, it has been a while since I posted last, and if you don’t mind, I will bore you with the “why” I have been off the blog grid for a while. As you all know, if you don’t you must be new to the blog… and if you are.. welcome aboard… but as you know I have some pretty amazing kids. I am not shy about praising them and am their biggest fan. Our youngest son as you also may be aware is a darn good football player and is in the throes of the college recruiting dance. Yes I said dance. There is a process, a flow, and rhythm to this dance and for the better part of the last two years we have been learning the process and becoming very engaged.
For those of you that wear many Scouting hats and spend what seems to be endless weekends doing Scouting let me share with you my last month.
We attended the Football University Combine, then the following weekend the Nike SPARQ combine, then the Nike Football Training Camp, then a visit and camp at Boise State University, then this last weekend we were at a visit and camp at the University of Montana. Tomorrow a mini camp at Portland State University. This weekend Josh has a 7 on 7 tournament with his team and then a trip to the Northwest Elite Showcase in Bellevue, Washington.
Among all of this we also emailed 150 University Football coaches, filled out 200 prospect questioners, had a Scout Troop meeting every Monday and two camp outs including Camp o ree. Needless to say, it has been a busy month and a half.
All of this to say that the blog suffered in the process.. yes, my wit and charm and dynamic writing took a back seat to my son.
Before I got real busy the blog became a source of much frustration and some of the readers/ contributors to the blog sucked the life out of me with the whole “Gay” issue. I am not going rehash that.. don’t even try.
Tonight at the Troop meeting I talked with the boys about one of life’s lessons that I have learned watching my kids grow. Our Daughter is a great kid. She played in the band in high school and is a charm to be around. Our oldest son is now in the Army. He is an Eagle Scout and wrestled in high school. And our youngest is a good student and 2 sport athlete as well as Scout. I tell you all of this to illustrate the point of the competitive edge.
That attitude that will get them farther in life than the person that does not have drive, the person that has not been tested physically,mentally, and knows how to challenge themselves, met the challenge and never give up.
During the Boise State camp I listened as a Coach told the players that there are winners and losers in life. We do not get participation ribbons for showing up. Rewards come from challenge, hard work, and pushing ones self to being better than the person next to them.
It is the difference between playing at the next level or not. It is the difference between becoming and Eagle Scout or not. It is the difference between leaders and followers. It is the competitive edge that drives us to be better. I have said it before and I will continue to say it as long as I am a Scoutmaster or leader… You promise to do your best.. not your good. That becomes the difference… that is the competitive edge.
Ok.. off the soap box, but it is a life lesson worth teaching to our Scouts. We want them to be better than their classmates. We want them to be better than the average. We want them to play hard and compete and work hard in the classroom.
We can all agree we want the best for our sons and we want them to be great members of our communities. Sports and Scouting work together, hand in hand in shaping them to be the very best they can be.

Ok.. for enough for now.. I am back in the swing.. at least for now. Thanks for hanging in there with me and the blog.

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Testimonials

"There are little things in life that helps to ‘center us’, and one of those was your blog. I am feeling more fulfilled now! Glad you are back" - Nate
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Jerry, you’re an excellent communicator, you have a very experienced and level headed view of Scouting and you definitely are a great example of a servant leader. Seriously, I think you should be working for BSA National - Trent